After a long shopping trip at one of Walmart’s massive stores, it’s nice to be able to sit down and have something to eat. For this reason, McDonald’s stores are a well-recognized staple in Walmart stores.
However, you may have noticed some Walmart stores no longer have McDonald’s, and wondered: what’s replacing McDonald’s? If you’d like to find out, keep reading!
Key Takeaways
What Is Replacing Walmart McDonald’s In 2022?
Restaurants like Taco Bell, Domino’s, Saladworks, Wow Bao, and Nathan’s Famous are replacing McDonald’s locations inside Walmart stores as of 2022. Walmart and McDonald’s are ending their business partners because of the decrease of in-store foot traffic, increase in drive-thru McDonald’s orders, and a spike in Walmart’s eCommerce sales.
If you want to learn more about the business relationship between McDonald’s and Walmart, like why Walmart maintains restaurants in-store and how to find out what restaurant will be in your local Walmart, keep reading!
What Restaurants Are Replacing McDonald’s in Walmart Stores?
There are a variety of fast-food restaurants that are replacing the McDonald’s sites that were previously inside Walmart.
For example, Domino’s and Taco Bell are among the more popular options that are replacing Mcdonald’s.
In addition to these restaurants, the following businesses will be replacing McDonald’s inside Walmart:
- La Madeleine French Bakery & Cafe
- Saladworks
- Wow Bao
- Nathan’s Famous
So far, there are 30 Domino’s inside Walmart stores across the country, and there are more locations planned to be added to this number.
Also, the type of restaurant that replaces McDonald’s at your local Walmart will vary based on your location.
Will Any Walmart Stores Have McDonald’s?
Currently, there are 150 remaining McDonald’s locations inside Walmart.
However, eventually, Walmart plans to eliminate every single McDonald’s site across the country, unless one specific location is considered profitable.
Why Are McDonald’s Stores Closing in Walmart?
There are a few reasons as to why McDonald’s is closing stores in Walmart, but the primary reason is that the partnership no longer made business sense for McDonald’s or Walmart.
After 2020, drive-thru and pickup orders made up a majority of McDonald’s’ sales.
Therefore, not as many people went inside Walmart to buy their meals from McDonald’s.
Additionally, eCommerce and in-store pickup sales increased for Walmart during this time, so in-store shopping isn’t as popular for both businesses anymore.
Moreover, McDonald’s is ending its partnership with Walmart because the locations didn’t have drive-thrus.
Essentially, the sales volume for McDonald’s decreased significantly, so it didn’t make sense to continue the partnership with Walmart.
How Many McDonald’s Locations Were There in Walmart Stores?
Before the store closings, there used to be around 1,000 McDonald’s locations inside Walmart stores (875 to be exact).
Therefore, the recent closures are a significant business decision by McDonald’s.
Why Do Walmart Stores Have Restaurants in Them?
Walmart chooses to incorporate restaurants into its stores to attract more customers and provide an amenity other retail stores may not provide.
Essentially, being able to buy a quick dinner after a shopping trip is something most customers find incredibly convenient.
Additionally, it allows Walmart to create business partnerships with diverse companies, like Taco Bell or Dominos.
Finally, Walmart incorporates restaurants into its stores to compete with other big-name retailers.
For example, Target and several grocery stores like Hy-Vee have cafes or restaurants like Pizza Hut inside its stores.
So, Walmart practices the same tactic to maintain competition and sway customers to choose its stores.
How Do You Find Out If Your Local Walmart Is Closing Its McDonald’s?
If you want to find out when your local Walmart is closing the McDonald’s stores, it’s best to call your store and ask the store manager.
To find the phone number, simply use the Walmart store locator on Walmart’s website.
After reaching the site, simply type in your zip code and select the Walmart where you usually shop.
Next, by clicking “Details,” you can find your Walmart phone number and other pertinent information.
Are There Subway Stores in Walmart Anymore?
Unfortunately, a lot of the Subway franchises inside Walmart stores are closing, just like McDonald’s.
Subway is closing select stores because of decreased foot traffic and lower profits.
Also, Walmart’s increase in eCommerce sales negatively impacted Subway’s sales.
As previously noted, a lot more people are using Walmart’s mobile app to place orders online and pick them up in-store or have them delivered.
So, customers aren’t in-store shopping at Walmart as much anymore and don’t stop at the in-store restaurants as a result.
What Other Retailers Have Restaurants in-Store?
Similar to Walmart, other retail stores offer restaurants inside their stores.
For example, Target is best known for hosting Pizza Hut and Starbucks stores inside, with a convenient sit-down area.
Also, several grocery stores have small cafes or in-store diners for customers.
Finally, big-box warehouse retailers like IKEA, Costco, and Sam’s Club have their own restaurants inside their stores.
In fact, IKEA’s in-store restaurant is so popular that some people go there only to eat and not buy anything else.
To know more, you can also read our posts on what is eMeals at Walmart, where to buy McDonald’s nuggets, and McDonald’s target market.
Conclusion
Several types of restaurants, like Domino’s and Taco Bell, are replacing the McDonald’s locations that were previously inside Walmart. Currently, only about 150 McDonald’s locations remain, and they’ll eventually all close.
Further, Walmart and McDonald’s are ending their business partnership because it didn’t make financial sense for either company to maintain anymore.